La Tails in New Orleans, Louisiana

Why choose Will? Will is a Louisiana native and lifelong fisherman with intimate knowledge of his home estuary and the fish therein. Whether it be on fly or spin tackle, his focus is shallow water sight fishing for redfish throughout the inshore marshes of South Louisiana. Will runs a plush East Cape Evo 18’ poling skiff making the long runs here in comfort, stocked with top of the line fly and spin gear rigged with the local favorites redfish can’t get enough of. He is usually chasing bulls on the outer fringes, but on those blustery days slot fish on the inside provide endless entertainment. As a licensed and fully insured USCG Captain, Will safely navigates the ever changing labyrinth of bayous, bays, and ponds that make up the beautiful South Louisiana marsh making sure everyone gets back in one piece. What to expect on your trip? Depending on the time of year, expect to leave the dock between 6am and 8am. We will leave earlier during the summer months and later during the winter. From there, a 30 to 45 minute run out into the marsh will put us in prime redfish territory. Since my primary focus is sight fishing, that is seeing an individual fish and presenting a fly/lure to the fish, most fishing will take place in 3 feet of water or less. This style of fishing requires stealth, so I am often on the back of the boat atop the poling platform, quietly pushing us along as you stand on the bow at the ready. I am usually the first to spot a fish due to my high vantage point, so I will communicate with you to establish the location of the fish using a clock bearing and a distance. You will hear something like “3 o’clock, 30 feet from the boat, he’s heading away from us”. Once spotted, you will then present your fly/lure to the fish, hopefully resulting in an explosive eat! What is sight fishing? Traditionally, fishing involves a lot of casting and covering water. If you cover enough water, you will eventually put your fly/lure/bait in front of a hungry fish and he will bite. Sight fishing is a bit of a departure from that and is more akin to hunting than fishing. When sight fishing, one quietly moves through the water actively looking for and stalking fish. Once a fish is spotted, the fly/lure is presented to the fish with an accurate cast, hopefully resulting in an eat. Redfish make a great sight fishing quarry due to their preference for prowling shallow water environments and reveal themselves in a variety of exciting ways. They can “Tail”, which happens when they tip down to feed off the bottom and their caudal fin breaks the surface of the water - a clear sign of a happily feeding fish. They can “Crawl”, navigating water so shallow that their backs and dorsal fins can clearly be seen above the surface as they swim along. Some less obvious signs of the presence of redfish include “Pushes”, a bull nosed wake steadily proceeding down the shoreline, as well as “Busting Bait”, when the water erupts along a shoreline as some poor shrimp transitions to the spirit world. My personal favorite however occurs during the late summer and into the fall when massive Bull Reds school up. These schools can readily be identified as dozens of fish boil the water in a feeding frenzy, breaching the surface chasing shrimp and attracting a flock of diving birds overhead. What is included? All fishing gear and tackle is included. My skiff is stocked with multiple fly rod setups in various weights for the size of fish and wind we will be encountering as well as spinning gear for those that prefer not to fly fish. You are welcome to bring and use your own rods and gear though. I will have a cooler stocked with plenty of water and assorted beverages, but feel free to bring whatever you prefer. Lunch - I will be in contact with menu options Fuel and launch fees are included in the price of the trip. Read More